Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Was Singapore Ever On 'The Dean Martin Show'?


                                       You Tube Mambo Italiano with Dean Martin.
In 1965 That's Amore crooner man Dino Paul Crocetti used a new media to entertain his fans - television - and hosted one of the most successful TV series in history. It was watched by many, won a Golden Globe Award and The Dean Martin Show lasted until 1973.  Everybody Loves Somebody, his own hit, became the theme song and the series rolled along 264 times.
Like Larry Lai he was King of Cool.
In the same year he renamed it The Dean Martin Comedy Hour, and from 1974 to 1984 it was renamed again as The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. It became so popular that big guns appeared on his show. It included Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, James Stewart, George Burns' Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Phyllis Diller and many more.
Golddiggers had a cast of 12.
While he was at the peak of his career Martin was invited to come to Singapore in the middle of 1980 to shoot a film for his series. He was invited to sell our little island by the local tourist promotion board who had noticed its immense popularity.
The special Christmas extravaganza would be on its hour long show featured on NBC. It was to highlight the island's tourist attractions and a special children's church choir. The board had wanted to promote Singapore to the American public and thought it was the best way to do so.  Production and manpower costs were high and the programme would have amounted to approximately $200,000. Don't forget it was in the 80s.
His hit TV shows captivated the American public, Singaporeans and Malaysians.
The idea came to an end when Martin wrote to explain that he would not be able to make it because of internal reasons at his production company.   But he had a solution and explained that he hoped to use video-tape clips sent by the board for his future programmes.

He ended his letter by explaining that he was most impressed by the professionalism of the officers in the organisation when he was dealing with them. Many viewers were disappointed because his show was so popular it ran twice a week over RTS (Radio Television Singapore).

*The Golddiggers with Dino.
Although some pop stars like Willliam Holden, Cliff Richard, Acker Bilk,  Shirley Bassey, Rita Coolige, Sergio Mendes, Helen Reddy, Johnny Tillotson and The Rolling Stones had visited our shores and appeared on our stages, Dean Martin had not.

Show's so popular, it ran twice a week in Singapore.
Here's a suggestion. Bring back the show on Singapore's Channel 5. I am sure audiences, both young and old, will love a re-run. Nothing like real entertainment.

Lay some happiness on me
So the brighter side you'll see
No more loneliness to me
Lay some happiness on me...

*(In 1968 Dean Martin brought together twelve beautiful young girls who could sing, dance and act, and gave them the name The Golddiggers.)

Images: Google and The Straits Times Press, Singapore.

To read more about this superstar check out the website I Love Dino Martin below written and managed by my good friend Dino Martin Peters (DMP) who uses his own Dino-Lingo:
 http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2013/02/was-singapore-ever-on-dean-martin-show.html

18 comments:

  1. pauenara19.2.13

    I TRULLY BELEIVE HE IS THE MOST COMPLETE ENTERTAINER EVER, I CANT STOP WATCHING ALL HIS VIDEOS, I AM HIS BIGGEST AND FIRST FAN, LOVE HIM !!!! AN IMPORTANT THING !!, HE DID NOT DRINK AS HE PROMOTED, IT WAS MORE A PUBLICITY IMAGE.

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  2. WytZox119.2.13

    True! The glass of whiskey he brought onto the stage at his nightclub performaces was actually apple juice. While he did enjoy a few cocktails when not performing, he never performed drunk.

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  3. shaka262219.2.13

    The "Dean Martin Show" was one of the highest rated shows of the 1965-66 season. Unfortunately for NBC, Dean's contract was only for one year.

    NBC was so desperate to keep Dean, that they made him an unbelievable offer. Dean's original salary was about $40,000 an episode. They upped the ante for a three year contract to $283,000.00 an EPISODE, and threw in shares of stock in NBC's parent company RCA, to boot. An unheard of price in television history! Even by today's standards, Dean holds the record...

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  4. All three comments above have been taken from the same You Tube video,
    "Opener" by Lei-Lani Muriah

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  5. ron jake19.2.13

    Latest comment on Ling Xiao:

    I have enjoyed reading your blog and all your write-ups lead me back to beautiful memories in Singapore.I am now based in UK.
    It's a shame that our country is not actively promoting our homegrown talents but spending tons to promote foreign talents.

    I stumbled upon a recent dvd of Ling Xiao and gosh, he still looks good and sings so well. I think he is easily one of the very few remaining singing talents in our country. I remember the days when his fans, particularly women, adored him so much and till today many of them remain faithful in supporting him. I love his voice and songs, as they are so rich in expression and smooth in vocals. No wonder he is able to sweep these women off their feet with his evergreen looks and voice.

    If you could upload his recent performances/songs, that would be a delight for all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey pallie, likes Mr. Andy what wondrous words on our most beloved Dino...and thanks every so much for the kind words 'bout ilovedinomartin. Wonderin' if you woulda mind that sometime in the near future I share this post with all the Dino-holics gathered at our humble little Dino-blog? Keeps lovin' our Dino!

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  7. Hi DMP, you can use the posting anytime for your blog. Many fans in Singapore still adore this singer. Even Elvis Presley admitted that Dino was his favourite star.

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  8. magg jnne20.2.13

    I revisited your blog before writing this note. Wow, your entries are real treats for the heart and mind.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you magg jnne for supporting this blog and your writing about Ling Xiao is definitely one of the highlights.

    ReplyDelete
  10. WIKIPEDIA20.2.13

    The Golddiggers were a singing and dancing troupe of young women that, at different times over their initial 24-year history, consisted of as few as four and as many as thirteen members appearing on stage at one time. They performed in the style of Las Vegas showgirls, and were chosen for their wholesome, attractive looks, talent and presence.

    The group began on The Dean Martin Show, and soon thereafter became widely known for starring in their own television series, joining Dean both as regulars on his show and in his nightclub act, and performing on their own in live venues, on other TV programs, and on tour with Bob Hope...
    (Read more on Wikipedia)

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  11. LKM/BC20.2.13

    A HEALTHY AND HAPPY CNY TO YOU AND FAMILY

    KM&BC

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous21.2.13

    Hi Andy!

    I recently discovered your blog and I think it is terrific!! You have so many interesting articles, videos and stuff!I was wondering if you would be interested in sharing your posts and ideas on Glipho? I bet that our users would love to read your amazing stuff! It's a quite new social publishing platform, where you can connect to every social network accounts, really easy to use it and communicate with your followers. In additional, you are able to import the posts from your blog in a super-easy way without affecting it at all.
    Please, have a look and take a tour to know more about http://glipho.com/. If you would like to set up your account, please do not hesitate to ask me for further information and I will send you an invitation.
    I hope you will join our Glihpo community soon. :) All the best,
    Maite

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Maite,

    I am honoured and appreciate the compliment but I need to think about it for the long term and will write to you as soon as I have made my decision. I may need a larger audience to popularize Singapore music from yesteryear.

    Thank you for visiting.

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  14. dino martin peters23.2.13

    We certainly are on accord in many ways, and 'specially as you scribe such Dino-truth... "Dino-pallies in a Dino-lovin' world forever!!!" Truly truly, Andy, only Dino matters! Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino!

    Dino-it,
    DMP

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  15. Thanks DMP.

    Honestly the only two people foremost in my mind during the 60s were DINO and Elvis, nobody else, not the Beatles nor Sinatra. As an example, I remember one of his songs spinning in my mind for months when it became a hit in 1952, "When the moon hits your eye, Like a big pizza pie..." I was very young then.

    Dino forever,

    Andy.

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  16. Dino Martin Peters27.2.13

    Hey pallie, likes Andy dude no problemo....and the cool think about the Elvis is that his one and only iconic idol was none other then our most beloved Dino! Truly great to call you pallie man and to be in communicato with someone else who knows the amazin' power of Dino! Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino! Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

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  17. Hey pallie, likes Andy dude, your stunnin' Dino-prose is scheduled to goes up tomorrow over at ilovedinomartin.

    Dino-best to a great bro-in-Dino! DMP

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  18. Hey Dino-pallie DMP, your Dino-prose is absolutely fabulous and can only come from a Dino-brother like you. Would be a truly great honour for Dino-lover me and posting it on your ilovedinomartin blog.

    Thank you soooo much for putting it up.

    Dino-lover and Dino-absolute,
    Andy.

    ReplyDelete